How Could I?
by Madvy
Summary: COMPLETE. A memory of Wildwing's about an accident he caused when he and Nosedive were little. It's a little sappy, but a good read.
1. Strange Dream

Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Mighty Ducks, Disney does. Everybody knows that. I'm just borrowing them, ok? So don't go getting mad and trying to sue me, because you won't get much from me, I can tell you that right now. Be a big waste of time really. (Oh man, I sound like some telemarketing machine, don't I?)

Author's Note: This is my first Mighty Ducks fanfiction, so please be gentle. But I DO want some kind of feedback, so send me some reviews. They are read and appreciated you know. Anyway, I hope you like my story…

"How Could I?"  
  
By Madvy  
  
Chapter 1-Strange Dream  
  
It was a beautiful morning in Anaheim, California, and all of the ducks at the Pond were just starting to wake up. Slowly, one by one, they all strolled casually into the kitchen, looking for breakfast and (for the ducks who liked it) the daily cup of coffee.

"Good morning, how's everyone doing?" asked Wildwing, as he stepped through the kitchen door.

"Not bad," replied Duke.

"I slept well," said Tanya.

"My slumber was a very peaceful one, thankfully," stated Grin.

"And I didn't wake up to any surprises courtesy of one teenager this morning," Mallory added happily.

"Speaking of which, has anyone seen Nosedive this morning?" asked Wing.

"Not me," said Tanya.

"Ah, he's probably still asleep, like he always is," Duke said, "You know how much the kid loves to sleep in."

"You're probably right," said Wing.

At that moment, the kitchen door swooshed (is that what they do?) open, as one very sleep deprived Nosedive walked in.

"Hey baby bro', you okay? You look like you didn't sleep a wink last night," Wildwing said.

"Well then, you'd be right, because I didn't," Nosedive stated, with much less enthusiasm than he normally had, even it he had just gotten up. He took a seat at the table.

"You mind telling us why you're so tired?" his brother asked.

All the older brother got was a soft groan from his younger brother, who now had his head in his arms on the table.

"Kid, you didn't go out partying with Thrash and Mookie again, did you?" asked Duke.

By now, the sight of the teen had gotten everyone's attention. He looked awful. His eyes were bloodshot, dull, lifeless, with huge bags underneath them. Dive's normally well-kept hair appeared limp, even though he had just woken up. His feathers were pale, and lacked their normal yellowish- peach color. But the worst part, by far, was his overall absence of energy. Now, the normal Nosedive would have been bustling full of energy, but this morning, it was as if he didn't have any left to begin with.

"No, I didn't go out 'partying' Duke," the young duck answered.

"Oh, ok. Just makin' sure."

"But, that still doesn't explain why you didn't get any sleep last night, Dive. Now tell me, what's going on?" Wing pleaded.

"Well, I had this weird dream last night."

"Care to tell us about it, little bro'?"

Dive sighed. "I don't know. I mean, it wasn't like a nightmare or any of my bad memories. It was more like, like, well..." His speech trailed off.

"Why don't you tell us what happened in the dream, Nosedive," suggested Tanya, "Then, maybe, it might make more sense."

"You guys sure you want to hear it?"

"Well, it's not like we don't have anything better to do," Mallory snorted.

Wilding narrowed his eyes. "Mallory..."

"What?!"

"Go ahead Dive. We're listening."

"Well..." And so Nosedive began his tale.


	2. A Startling Discovery

Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Mighty Ducks, Disney does. Everybody knows that. I'm just borrowing them, ok? So don't go getting mad and trying to sue me, because you won't get much from me, I can tell you that right now. Be a big waste of time really. (Oh man, I sound like some telemarketing machine, don't I?)  
  
Author's Note: This is my first Mighty Ducks fanfiction, so please be gentle. But I DO want some kind of feedback, so send me some reviews. They are read and appreciated you know. Anyway, I hope you like my story...  
  
Chapter 2-A Startling Discovery  
  
"Well, it's dark, probably late at night, like around midnight or something. I remember waking up in this really strange room. Most of everything I could see was blurry. Anyway, out of nowhere, this white figure reaches over the bars surrounding me, picks me up, and brings me through the door. He sets me down on my back and then leaves. I hear some kind of rustling, and as hard as I try, I just can't get up to see what he's doing. Just then, he comes back in a second, picks me up once more, and sits me down on some kind of a sled, I think. By now, I realize, we're at the top of the stairs. I then hear him say behind me, "Ok, Dive, just hang on a sec and then we'll be off." I feel his hand slip off of me and then..."

At this moment, Nosedive paused. He stared down at the table. Suddenly, its grey color fascinated him. It was as if he was trying to find the right words to say.

"Go ahead, kid. Finish you're story," said Duke.

"Ok," sighed Dive.

No one seemed to notice Wildwing, who was staring dead ahead at his sibling, almost in a kind of trance, as Dive started his story once again.

"And then, I started to slide forward, down the stairs really fast. The ride's bumpy, and I hear the figure screaming my name from the top of the stairs, as I fly down the staircase. All of a sudden, as soon as the wild ride started, it comes to a crashing end, as the tip of the sled dips down and I feel myself being flung through the air, straight at the front door. Then, as my body gets slammed into the door, I feel a sharp pain come ripping into my head. The last thing I see, is the world slowly going dark around me, as the terrible pain takes hold of me."

The kitchen suddenly became quiet.

"Watcha stop for?" Duke asked.

"Yeah, this story was just getting' good," remarked Mal-Mal.

"Because that's it," said Nosedive, "The dream ends there."

"Oh."

Tanya decided to pipe up. "So do you have any idea where you could have gotten this dream from? I mean, it's not like some long forgotten or suppressed memory or anything, right?"

"Not that I know of. I don't think I can ever remember anything like what was in my dream happening to me."

"I can."

At these words, everyone turned and stared at Wildwing. During Dive's entire recollection of the dream, Wing had remained solemn and silent.

"What do you mean, you can?" asked Duke.

"Bro, you don't seriously think that something like this actually happened, do you?" asked Dive, "How would you know, anyway?"

"I know because..." Wildwing took a deep breath. "Because I'm the one that caused it," he said.

Author's Note: Oooh, so the truth comes out. But, what secrets is Wildwing going to reveal in the next chapter?


	3. A Memory Unfolds: Part 1

Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Mighty Ducks, Disney does. Everybody knows that. I'm just borrowing them, ok? So don't go getting mad and trying to sue me, because you won't get much from me, I can tell you that right now. Be a big waste of time really. (Oh man, I sound like some telemarketing machine, don't I?)  
  
Author's Note: This is my first Mighty Ducks fanfiction, so please be gentle. But I DO want some kind of feedback, so send me some reviews. They are read and appreciated you know. Anyway, I hope you like my story...  
  
Chapter 3-A Memory Unfolds: Part 1  
  
"WHAT?!"

Every member of the Mighty Ducks, with the exception of Wildwing and Grin of course, practically jumped out of their seats.

"You mean to tell me that my dream was real?!?" inquired one very surprised Nosedive.

"Yes, I'm afraid so Dive," answered Wing.

"Well, when did it happen? How old was I? Who was that mysterious figure? Why'd he send me down the stairs? Did he really mean to let me go flying down on a sled? And why can't I remember any of this?"

"Hold on, lil' bro'. Breath. One question at a time, ok." Wing put his hand on Dive's shoulder and gently pushed him back into a chair. "I promise I'll explain everything. But know this first. That dream you had was no dream. It's a memory from VERY long ago, and one that I am frankly quite surprised you can even still recall." The sad, serious tone of Wing's voice and the dishearten look on his face was beginning to worry Nosedive. Something in the way his brother was acting, was telling Dive that the topic on hand was upsetting Wildwing greatly. But the teenager's curiosity got the better of him.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Why don't we all go into the rec room and talk there. I don't really feel like telling this story in the kitchen, anyway," said Wildwing.

"An excellent idea," stated Grin.

"Yeah, I suppose if I'm gonna' hear another long story, I might as well be comfortable," sighed Duke.

As the ducks got up to leave, Nosedive couldn't help but notice the extreme amount of discomfort his big bro' looked to be in. It hurt the young duck to know that he was really the one who was pushing his one and only brother to tell him this long-suppressed memory. But, none the less, Dive really wanted to know what the background behind his strange dream.

Soon, the team was settled in the rec room. Wing and Dive were sitting together on the middle couch, Mallory and Tanya were on the couch to their left, Duke was parked in the recliner on their right, and Grin, as usual, was sitting in his meditation position on the floor.

"Alright big bro', we're all here in the rec room, now spill it. What's this all about?"

"Ah...ok. As I've said before, this all happened a long time ago. I was five and Dive had just turned a week old..."  
  
It was late, real late, way past Wildwing's bedtime. A small head poked out from behind a doorway and peeked into the hall. 'Good, the coast is clear,' he thought. Five-year-old Wildwing slowly crept into the hall. As he neared the other doors in the hallway, he heard the clock downstairs strike twelve. Looking into his parents' bedroom, the duckling could see the two sleeping masses of his mother and father.

"Alright, mom and dad are still asleep. Which means, they won't be wakin' up anytime soon, and I won't be gettin' into any trouble for this," he whispered in a soft tone, more to himself than to anyone else in particular.

He then carefully made his way past the bedroom and headed for the last door on the left. With a turn of the knob, he cautiously stepped into his baby brother's room. The crib wasn't hard to find; it was right in the center of the room. Pulling up a chair, Wing stuck his beak over the edge of the bars and looked down at the baby within.

"Dive, Dive, wake up!" called the five-year-old.

Soon, the baby duck began to stir, as he slowly opened his eyes. Then, he smiled as he beheld the larger duck towering over him. Wildwing was actually quite surprised at how quiet his brother was being. Normally, Nosedive was very cranky after waking up from a nap, let alone being woken up in the middle of the night. But, this time, he wasn't even making a fuss. He just lay there, silently staring up at Wing.

"Ok Dive, come on."

As carefully as he could, Wildwing reached over and picked up the baby. Once again, Dive came without a fuss, as Wing carried him out into the hallway and set him down on his back.

"Alright, Dive. You just stay here now and I'll be right back."

With that, Wing turned and left his brother in the hall, as he headed back into his own room. A few seconds later, he emerged with his favorite red sled. He set it down at the top pf the stairs, making sure it was lined up perfectly with the middle of the staircase. Then, he walked back over to where he had left Nosedive.

"You ready, Dive? We're going on a little ride, ok?"

He scooped him up and plopped him down on the front of the sled. It was then that Wildwing noticed that his shoe was untied.

"Ok Dive, just hang on a sec and then we'll be off."

Then, he took his hand, which happened to be the only thing keeping Nosedive at the top of the stairs, off of the baby duck. And that was all it took for the devastating chain of events to occur.

As soon as Wing's hand had reached down to tie his shoe, instead of holding the duckling, Nosedive began to roll forward.

Author's Note: Oh no! What's going to happen????


	4. A Memory Unfolds: Part 2

Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Mighty Ducks, Disney does. Everybody knows that. I'm just borrowing them, ok? So don't go getting mad and trying to sue me, because you won't get much from me, I can tell you that right now. Be a big waste of time really. (Oh man, I sound like some telemarketing machine, don't I?)  
  
Author's Note: This is my first Mighty Ducks fanfiction, so please be gentle. But I DO want some kind of feedback, so send me some reviews. They are read and appreciated you know. Anyway, I hope you like my story...  
  
Chapter 4-A Memory Unfolds: Part 2  
  
"Nosedive, NOSEDIVE!!!" yelled Wildwing.

He lunged, trying to grab the sled before it got too far, but it was too late.

All Wing could do was watch from the top of the steps, frozen in place by fear and shock, as his baby brother went flying down the stairs.

"I didn't know what to do. My mind screamed follow him, run after him, grab him before he gets hurt, but try as I might, I couldn't move. My legs were rigid as stone, like tree trunks. All I could do was just stand there as Dive spiraled down those stairs. And then, I saw the sled tip forward. I remember now leaving one my toys on the bottom step the night before. As I think back now, I suppose that the sled must have caught on the toy and that's what forced it to tip. I remember watching Nosedive got whizzing through the air, too shocked and scared to cry out. But then, he hit the door, and, and then..."

At this point, Wildwing had to stop and take a breath. Tears were beginning to run down his face.

"It's okay, Wing. You don't have to continue if you don't want to," said Nosedive, as he tried to comfort his older brother, "I think we all know the rest of the story anyway."

"No, No! That's just it! You guys don't know the rest of the story! I mean, I mean..."

"Just take another deep breath, Wildwing," Tanya said.

"Yes my friend, you cannot let your karma be clouded by past events you cannot change," stated Grin.

"It's alright, I'm fine," Wing said, taking yet another breath, "I, I think I'm ready to continue again. I can still remember that scream. The one that come out of my tiny brother that night was one that chilled me straight to the bone. It was one of sheer pain, complete and total pain. I regret to say that I've heard Nosedive scream like that many times before. But that was the very first time and, being only five-years- old at the time, I thought that the world was ending. Dive's world was ending. No, _my_ world was ending..."  
  
Little Wildwing looked down from his frozen spot at the top of the stairs at the still form of his younger sibling. Had it really only been just a few seconds ago that Dive had been sitting at the top of the steps, perfectly fine and content, and now, now...Wildwing couldn't even bring himself to think of what had just happened.

It was then that he felt two huge forms come running past him; these, of course, being his mom and dad. Wing didn't know how long it had taken for them to wake up, but he figured it must have been right after Nosedive's scream went ripping throughout the house.

His mother ran right down the stairs and headed straight to her youngest son's rigid body, which lay lifeless in a pool of his own blood, which was slowly growing by the minute.

"Wildwing, Wildwing what happened??" Wing's dad screamed, gripping his older son, trying to gain some answers.

But, Wildwing had barely heard him. His gaze was fixed on Nosedive, that poor little baby who now was probably dead. And it was all his fault!

"It's all my fault, dad!" was all Wing was able to get out, barely above a whisper, before tears began to burst from his eyes.

"Son, what-"

"Dear, call an ambulance right now!!!" screamed the boys' mother, who was now cradling the limp baby in her arms.

"Right!" exclaimed the terrified father.

It was only a matter of minutes before sirens could be heard in the distance, getting closer and closer each second. Soon, the ambulance stood just outside the Flashblade home as the paramedics began loading Nosedive into the van. Mrs. Flashblade followed soon after, followed by Mr. Flashblade and Wildwing.

As he was getting into the ambulance, Wing couldn't help but notice that all the neighbors were now either staring out their windows or standing in their doors, wondering what on Puckworld could be disturbing the neighborhood peace at that hour in the early morning.

All Wing could do was just shake his head, as he climbed into the ambulance. The doors slammed shut, and the vehicle sped away, with sirens blaring, into the night.


	5. Hospital Panics

Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Mighty Ducks, Disney does. Everybody knows that. I'm just borrowing them, ok? So don't go getting mad and trying to sue me, because you won't get much from me, I can tell you that right now. Be a big waste of time really. (Oh man, I sound like some telemarketing machine, don't I?)  
  
Author's Note: This is my first Mighty Ducks fanfiction, so please be gentle. But I DO want some kind of feedback, so send me some reviews. They are read and appreciated you know. Anyway, I hope you like my story...  
  
Chapter 5-Hospital Panics  
  
"That entire ride to the hospital was nothing but a blur to me. I can still remember the looks on the paramedics and my parents' faces. They were so sad, so full of worry. And me, I was just plain petrified. I wasn't sure exactly what had happened or what was even going on. The whole thing was all a bit too complicated for a five-year-old to understand completely anyway. I remember seeing my tiny, newly born brother being tended to in the van. The doctors were swarming over him, so I really couldn't see Dive at all. Then, we got to the hospital. As soon as the car had stopped, we all jumped out and went rushing through the doors. The driver must have notified the hospital ahead of time, because as soon as we got there, there were doctors already waiting. They loaded Dive on to a stretcher and took off down a hall. Mom went with them, while dad stayed behind with me. Then, as quickly as we had arrived at the hospital, the doctors, mom, and my only sibling were gone behind two swinging doors."

Once more, Wildwing took the moment to pause.

"Bro..." started Nosedive.

"I didn't know what was going on, Dive. It was all happening so fast. One minute you're sitting at the top of the stairs, then, unconscious in a pool of your own blood, then, being rolled away in a state of near-death on a stretcher." He sighed. "It all must have been too much for me, because just then my world went black. Later, I remember waking up to find myself lying in a hospital bed. I know now, that I must have fainted, but at the time, I wasn't much sure of anything, namely what had happened to me or what I was doing in a hospital bed."

"You must have gone into shock," Tanya interrupted politely, "That's why you lost consciousness. I mean, going through all of that certainly is hard on adults. But, for a five-year-old, it must have been murder."

"I know that now," said Wing, "But anyway, back to my story..."  
  
Wildwing's head was killing him. It must have been one of the biggest headaches he ever had. And only having lived for five years, well that was saying a lot.

It wasn't long before realized that instead of the waiting room, he was now lying in a bed in a private hospital room.

'How did I get here?' he thought, 'What happened? I wonder how Dive is? Oh no! Nosedive!'

At that moment, the young duck began to hear voices coming from the door. Carefully, he turned his head towards the sounds. As his eyes adjusted to the light coming from the hall, Wing saw his parents talking to a group of doctors. At first, he thought they were talking about him. They were saying something about a really deep cut on the back of someone's head and how they almost lost them due to a loss of blood. But now, they were more worried about any permanent brain damage or something like that. This all seemed a little confusing to Wildwing, so he began to listen in closer. It was then that he discovered that the grown-ups were really talking about Nosedive and not Wildwing. At the hearing of his brother's name, Wing snapped wide awake.

"Nosedive! What about Nosedive?!" yelled Wildwing, as he jumped off the bed, and ran over to the adults.

"Wildwing, what are you doing out of bed? You should be lying down," said Wing's dad, Mr. Flashblade.

"I'm fine dad, but how's Nosedive? Is he ok?"

"Wildwing, sweetie, the doctors aren't sure if he's going to make it," Wing's mom said calmly. She crouched down, looking her oldest son right in the eyes, as she held him in her arms. "They've done all they can. Only time will tell now."

"No, no, not Dive!" screamed Wing, "This isn't fair! He can't die! He's only a baby! It's all my fault!"

"Wildwing, honey-"

"NO!!!!!" Wing shrieked, cutting off his mother. He pushed himself out of her arms. "I got to find him. I got to tell him 'I'm sorry'!" With that, he shoved his way past the grown-ups and sprinted out the door, and down the hall as fast as his little legs could carry him.

"Wildwing, come back here!" screamed Mr. Flashblade.

But, Wing didn't hear him. He was already halfway down the hall. He was on a mission. The duckling just had to find his little brother and apologize before it was too late. And right now, nothing else mattered.

Author's Note: I just love little kids on missions. They're so cute!


	6. A Race Against Time

Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Mighty Ducks, Disney does. Everybody knows that. I'm just borrowing them, ok? So don't go getting mad and trying to sue me, because you won't get much from me, I can tell you that right now. Be a big waste of time really. (Oh man, I sound like some telemarketing machine, don't I?)  
  
Author's Note: This is my first Mighty Ducks fanfiction, so please be gentle. But I DO want some kind of feedback, so send me some reviews. They are read and appreciated you know. Anyway, I hope you like my story...  
  
Chapter 6-A Race Against Time  
  
"I must have run all over that hospital that night. In a sheer state of panic, I guess I must have lost my way, because soon I wasn't sure where exactly I was or where I was even trying to get to. Suddenly, I heard someone from behind calling out to me..."  
  
"Hey kid, kid!"

"Huh?"

Wildwing had just gotten to the middle of the hall, before he realized that he had already come that way at least twice before. Then, he heard someone behind him yelling, and turned around. Standing in the doorway of another hospital room, was a small duck with light grey feathers and short, brown hair. He looked to be around Wildwing's age. He was dressed in a white hospital gown and was holding on to a pole, which had his IV attached to it.

"Hey kid, where you tryin' to get to in such a hurry? I've seen you run past here like three times already," he said.

"I'm sorry, it's just..." Wing was out of breath, "I'm lookin' for my baby brother. Have you seen him?"

"I don't know. What does he look like?"

"He's small and yellow, with a little bit of blonde hair and bright blue eyes."

"Well, I haven't seen any babies like that around here, but you might try the hatchery. That's where all the baby ducks are kept."

"Ok. Just one more thing..."

"Sure."

"Ezactly, how do you get to the hatchery?" asked Wildwing.

"Oh that's easy," replied the duckling, "Just that the elevator (that's at the end of the hall) up to the fifth floor. The hatchery should be on that floor. You can't miss it!"

"Thanks, thanks a lot!" shouted Wildwing as he raced off for the elevator.

"I hope you find your brother!" called the young duck.

"Me too!" shouted Wing in return.

Just as the duckling had said, Wildwing found the elevator at the end of the hall. He just managed to jump up and push the button for it to come down. Soon, a soft bell dinged, as the doors slid open. However, it wasn't until Wing had stepped inside and the doors had already closed, that the young duck had discovered that he was too short to reach the button for the fifth floor or jump up and reach it. He looked around and noticed a broom leaning up against the back wall of the elevator.

"I guess one of the janitors must have left this in here," he said as he took the broom and used it to hit the button with a five on it.

Soon, Wildwing felt the elevator start moving and then finally ding once more as it hit the fifth floor.

"Hang on Dive, just hang on. I'm coming!" said Wing as he dashed off down yet another hallway. 'I hope I'm goin' in the right direction this time,' he thought.

Author's Note: I sure hope you guys like my story so far. I really worked hard on it. So keep on going! :)


	7. Apology

Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Mighty Ducks, Disney does. Everybody knows that. I'm just borrowing them, ok? So, don't go getting mad and trying to sue me, because you won't get much from me, I can tell you that right now. Be a big waste of time really. (Oh man, I sound like some telemarketing machine, don't I?)

Authors Note: This is my first Mighty Ducks fanfiction, so please be gentle. But I DO want some kind of feedback, so send me some reviews. They are read and appreciated you know. Anyway, I hope you like my story...

Chapter 7-Apology  
  
It wasn't long before Wildwing soon reached the hatchery. Finding a stool, he pushed it under the window outside the room, and peered in.

'Ducklings, ducklings, everywhere!' was all Wing could think of as he looked in. Everywhere he looked, there were bins with baby ducks in them. And each one looked exactly like the next one! There was no way to tell them apart.

"I'm never gonna' find Dive in all this!" exclaimed the five-year-old, "I gotta' get in there!"

So, he wheeled the stool over to the door. Finding it unlocked, he turned the handle.  
  
"There must have been at least 50 babies in that hatchery! And since I was too little to see into the bins that held each one, I knew I wasn't going to be able to find Dive just by trying to look at each baby individually. Besides, they all looked alike anyway! However, I soon discovered that each bin had the last name of each baby on it.

'Perfect,' I thought, 'Now all I have to do is just find the one with Flashblade on it.'  
  
"Topwing, Melbill, McMartin, McBeak, Flockbill, Featherflame, hey wait!" screamed Wildwing. He had been relentlessly searching from one baby to another, trying to find Nosedive. "Flashblade's supposed to be right here in between Flockbill and Featherflame, I think. If so, then where if he?"

Wildwing looked between the gap in the row of bins, hoping against hope that a bin that contained his younger sibling was there. Sure enough, there was. Wheeling the stool over, Wing climbed up and looked through the glass at the little duck inside.

Now if Wing hadn't seen his little brother many times before, he would not have recognized the duckling behind the glass at all. There were wires all over him and an oxygen mask over his beak. With the exception of one small lock of blonde hair that stuck out, his entire head was bandaged, while just about every vital life sign in his small body was being monitored on computer screens and charts.

"Dive, come on Dive, wake up," Wing said as he tapped on the glass, "You got to wake up lil' bro'. You're all right. I mean, what am I spose' to do without you? You can't leave me here all alone. You don't know how much I was lookin' forward to havin' a little brother. One I could teach how to skate and play with. One I could show how to play hockey and share secrets within the middle of the night when mom and dad are sleeping. I'm really sorry Dive. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just wanted to have a little bit of fun. I'm so sorry. Please don't die on me, Dive. You can't die, you just can't! Especially since it would be all my fault."

As Wing sat there, staring down at his brother, tears began to roll down his cheeks.

"Oh Dive, what am I gonna' do? I can't go on without you. Babies aren't spose' to die, they're spose' to grow up and get bigger. And that's just what you're gonna' do Dive. You're gonna' get through this and then we'll be the best of brothers again. You'll see. Please be ok little brother. Please be ok."

Wildwing felt helpless. He couldn't do anything. His one and only sibling was dying in front of him and he couldn't do anything to stop it. The only thing Wing could do was cry.

"Oh Nosedive," sobbed Wing.

Not knowing what else to do, he laid his head in his own arms and began to let it all out. For a time, all that could be heard in the hatchery was the muffled sobs of one five-year-old duck.

In fact, Wing was so absorbed in his own sadness that he failed to notice the quiet stirring of the duckling behind the glass.

Ever so softly, Nosedive opened his eyes. After blinking a few times, he began to look around. It was then that he saw his brother crying above him. Now Nosedive may only have been a week old, but the sight of his heartbroken brother told him that something was wrong. Slowly, he was able to reach his tiny hand up until he was almost touching the glass. And then, he hiccupped.

The hiccup was so soft, that Wildwing almost didn't hear it in the mist of his crying. But a little voice in the back of his mind told him he had.

'Well, it couldn't hurt to take just a look,' he thought. So he did. And what he saw almost made his heart jump right out of his chest.

There lay Nosedive, eyes open and everything, staring up at him, with one tiny hand reaching towards him.

"Nosedive," whispered Wildwing.

He couldn't believe it. Just a second age, he wasn't sure if Dive was even alive and now here he was staring right at him.

It was then that Wing noticed just how hard his brother was trying to reach him. He was stretching his short arm out as far as he could, with his little hand spread out.

"Ah Dive," said Wing. He began to copy his brother, stretching his own hand out. The two came closer and closer until...  
  
"We touched. Well not exactly. I mean, technically there was still glass in between us, but I swear, I don't think it really mattered. Our hands sat there, right up against each other, and I knew, just then, that we had connected. I had this feeling inside of me, one I never had had before. It was strange, like a rush of emotions flooding my body. But it didn't hurt or anything. It felt good. In fact, I remember it being one of the best feelings I've ever had."

"What do you think it was?" asked Nosedive.

"Love," said Grin, "It was pure love for one's family. In this case, it was Wildwing's love for his younger brother."

"You know Grin, I think you're right," remarked Tanya.

"You know, they say love can produce miracles," Duke stated.

"Well, that's a saying I sure could have used back then," said Wildwing.

"What do mean Wing?" Dive asked, "Did something else happen?"

"I'm afraid so, baby bro'. Something bad..."


	8. “Isn’t there anything we can do to help?...

Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Mighty Ducks, Disney does. Everybody knows that. I'm just borrowing them, ok? So don't go getting mad and trying to sue me, because you won't get much from me, I can tell you that right now. Be a big waste of time really. (Oh man, I sound like some telemarketing machine, don't I?)  
  
Author's Note: This is my first Mighty Ducks fanfiction, so please be gentle. But I DO want some kind of feedback, so send me some reviews. They are read and appreciated you know.

Author's Note 2: I'm sorry, but I don't know much of anything about medicine. So I apologize if I got any medical terms or correct procedures wrong. If I did, please tell me in the reviews. Thank you.  
  
Chapter 8-"Isn't there anything we can do to help?"  
  
Wildwing was so absorbed in his newfound feeling of love, that when the heart monitor produced a straight line, he didn't even notice. Nosedive smiled gently at his brother, and then fell back, his tiny hand falling on to the sheet the rest of his body was lying on.

"Nosedive, Nosedive what's wrong?!" Wing frantically asked.

The sudden movement from Dive had brought him out of his trance and back to reality. It was then that he noticed the heart monitor. Instead of the usual beep, beep, beep, the machine was making one long, continuous beep. Now Wildwing had seen enough hospital shows on TV and been to the doctor's office enough to know that a straight line on the beeping machine was bad. He didn't know how, but his instincts told him that things may have looked bad before, but now they had just gotten worse.

"Oh no. Dive, Dive! Nosedive, wake up! Wake up!" He began to bang on the glass. "Wake up Nosedive! Wake up!"

By now, the five-year-old was making so much noise, he had woken up all the other ducklings in the hatchery. And every one of them was baling at the top of their lungs. The racket was beginning to draw a lot of attention, as adults from all over the hospital came rushing into the room to see what was going on. Included in the group was Mr. and Mrs. Flashblade, and the doctors that had been treating Nosedive.

"Wildwing, what on Puckworld are you doing in here?" asked Wing's mom as she can running over to hug her son, "We've been looking all over for you."

"I'm sorry mommy, but I had to find Dive. I had to say 'I'm sorry'. Oh no, Dive!"

By now, the doctors had reached Nosedive and were looking him over.

"His heart's stopped! He's not breathing! Get some fibrillates in here, stat!" yelled one doctor. In just a few seconds, a nurse had rolled some electrical shockers into the hatchery. With the protective glass removed, the doctors began work on reviving the week old baby.

"Ready, clear!" The shock caused Dive's small body to jump. The heart monitor beeped for a second, then went flat once more. "Lets try it again. Ready clear!" Once more, Nosedive's body jumped and the heart monitor beeped. But, it didn't go flat. A slight beep was all that remained, but as long as there was one, there was still hope for the duckling.

"We've got to get him into the intensive care unit, now!" shouted another doctor, "He's doesn't have much left in him!"

Almost immediately, a stretcher was wheeled in and Nosedive was transferred from the hatchery to an ER room.

As the doctors raced down the hall, the rest of the Flashblades followed them. Wildwing had remained in his mother's arms the entire time, clinging to her with all the strength he could muster. Everything was happening all over again. Nosedive was barely hanging on to life, and he couldn't do anything to help.

As they watched the doctors working over the youngest Flashblade, Wildwing whispered to his mom, "Isn't there anything we can do to help Dive mommy?"

"Just hope and pray, Wildwing. Just hope and pray for a miracle," she answered.


	9. Death

Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Mighty Ducks, Disney does. Everybody knows that. I'm just borrowing them, ok? So don't go getting mad and trying to sue me, because you won't get much from me, I can tell you that right now. Be a big waste of time really. (Oh man, I sound like some telemarketing machine, don't I?)  
  
Author's Note: This is my first Mighty Ducks fanfiction, so please be gentle. But I DO want some kind of feedback, so send me some reviews. They are read and appreciated you know. Anyway, I hope you like my story...  
  
Chapter 9-Death  
  
And that's just what Wing did. He prayed as hard as he could.

'Please, someone please help Dive,' he prayed, 'Help my little brother get better. Let him be ok. Don't let him die. Dive can't die. He just can't! Please know how sorry I am. I'm so sorry Nosedive. If anyone can hear me, please let my baby bro' be ok.'

"Ah, all right guys, that's it," said the lead doctor.

"What, what's going on?" asked Wing, looking up from his silent prayer.

"I'm sorry, but there's nothing we can do. He's gone."

"No!!!" screamed Wildwing. He leapt from his mother's arms and ran over to the table Nosedive was on. "No, Nosedive's not dead! He's alive, he's gonna' be ok! He's not dead! He's not..." Soon, Wildwing began to cry again.

Seeing how hard her son was taking all this, Mrs. Flashblade walked over and began to comfort him. "Shhh, it's all right sweetie," she said.

Wildwing looked up and saw tears sliding down his mom's face. "No mommy, it's not all right," Wing said, "Dive's gone and it's all my fault." He began crying into her shirt.

"What do you mean, 'all your fault'?" she asked, tears still streaming down her cheeks.

"I was the one who hurt Nosedive. I let him get hurt. If I had just left him in the crib, we wouldn't be here. Everyone would be still asleep back home, not here." He began to cry even harder.

"Now, now, we all make mistakes. You didn't know anything bad was going to happen."

"But it's still all my fault."

Mrs. Flashblade was at a loss for words. One of her sons was dead, while the other was convinced that his brother's death was all his fault.

"Now Wildwing, son," said Mr. Flashblade, as he came over, "We have to be strong. Don't worry, we'll get through this."

"But dad, I don't even know if Dive even forgave me. I told him how sorry I was. What if he never forgives me?" Wildwing's cheek feathers were now soaked with salty tears.

"I'm sure Dive forgives you," said Wing's dad, "He knows you didn't mean to hurt him."

"You really think so?"

"Sure."

"I can still say good-bye to him, right?" Wing looked from his mom to his dad.

"Of course you can," Mrs. Flashblade said. She lifted him up and held him over the lifeless duckling.

"Good-bye Nosedive. I'm really sorry. Please forgive me."

As Wing was lifted away, one solitary tear rolled off his beak. It fell through the air and landed on the edge of Nosedive's open bill. After hanging there for a few moments, it began to roll down Dive's tiny beak, until it finally disappeared into the baby's mouth.

Wildwing felt terrible, horrible. He could feel his insides being ripped apart and he was sure that his heart was completely broken in half. In a way, he knew that a part of him had died on that table along with his brother.

Wing was just about to start crying again, when he heard it. Had he really? He was sure of it. His ears told him no, but his heart said yes.

"Mommy wait!" he yelled.

"What is it honey?" asked his mother through tear-stricken eyes.

"I have to go back."

"Go back where?"

"I have to go back to Dive."

"But why, he's gone Wildwing."

"No momma, he's not. I just know it." With that, he leaped out of Mrs. Flashblade's arms once more and scrambled back into the ER room.

"Wildwing..." said Mr. Flashblade, "Dear, what's going on?"

"I don't know. I guess he's just having a hard time accepting all this. I suppose I am too." Soon, the female duck was crying again.

"There, there..." said her husband, taking her quietly in his own arms, "We'll get through this. We always do."

"Oh honey, how did this happen? How? I just can't believe all this is really happening."

"I know, I know. I can't believe it either. But we have to be strong. For our kids, both of them."

They stood there, comforting each other in the hallway; until Wildwing's frantic voice interrupted their embrace. "Mom, dad, come here, quick!"

"I guess we'd better go get Wildwing," Mr. Flashblade said, "The sooner we leave, the better."

"I suppose you're right," remarked his wife.

Both were so stricken with grief that they had failed to recognize the urgency of Wing's voice. They both turned and began to head back into the ER room.

Author's Note: Oh, I just love a good cliffhanger! What's going to happen? What does Wildwing mean?


	10. A Miracle

Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Mighty Ducks, Disney does. Everybody knows that. I'm just borrowing them, ok? So don't go getting mad and trying to sue me, because you won't get much from me, I can tell you that right now. Be a big waste of time really. (Oh man, I sound like some telemarketing machine, don't I?)  
  
Author's Note: This is my first Mighty Ducks fanfiction, so please be gentle. But I DO want some kind of feedback, so send me some reviews. They are read and appreciated you know. Anyway, I hope you like my story...  
  
Chapter 10-A Miracle  
  
After jumping out of his mother's arms, Wildwing had raced back into the room that held his little brother. He was knew, just knew that he had heard it. And sure enough, his hopes were confirmed as soon as he had stepped foot back in the room. There on the heart monitor was a slight, but steady beep.

"Oh my gosh," he said. Wing was almost surprised how soft his voice was. 'I guess all my crying wore my voice out,' he thought.

Quickly, he climbed up on to the bed, and looked at the still form lying on it.

Dive looked just the same as when they had left him, dead. But no, there it was, clear as a bell, the slight, but steady beep which meant that Dive was still alive.

"But how?" whispered Wing, "The doctors said he was dead. Could he really be...?" Carefully, he leaned forward until he was directly above the baby's head. "Dive?"

Almost as if by some form of magic, Nosedive began to stir at the mention of his name.

"Nosedive?" Wildwing was in a state of shock. In fact, by the time he was able to pull himself out of it, his baby brother was staring up at him, eyes open wide. "Mom, dad, come here, quick!"

Wing wasn't even sure if he had really yelled anything at all; he was concentrating so hard on his brother. It almost felt like if he took his eyes off of him for just one second, then Dive would disappear all together and never come back.

'I can't believe it. Nosedive's alive!' his mind screamed.

Suddenly, his parents appeared at the door. If they were sad before, all evidence of that was totally wiped clean as they beheld the sight of their two sons. Nosedive lay there, awake and everything, acting as if he had just woken up from some long nap.

"Oh my stars, Nosedive!!!" they yelped at the same time and came rushing over.

Mrs. Flashblade scooped up her youngest son and held him tight. "I can't believe it! He's actually alive! It's a miracle!" she said.

"See mom, I told you Dive wasn't gone. He's ok. He was just sleapin'," remarked Wing.

"And you were right," said his mom as she cradled the baby.

"It truly is a miracle all right," said Mr. Flashblade, "Well this has been one adventure I certainly hope we never have to go through again."

"Me too," said Mrs. Flashblade.

"Me three," piped in Wildwing, "And I promise never to let my little brother get hurt again. I'll take good care of him from now on."

"I know you will, sweetie," said Wing's mom, "And I know you didn't mean to let any of this happen in the first place. I can tell that you learned your lesson."

"I sure did mommy."

"Well, now that this is all over," put in Wing's dad, "I say everybody gets some sleep. I don't even want to know how long we've all been awake."

"That sounds like a good idea to me too," agreed Mrs. Flashblade, "I'm sure it's way past your bedtime, too Wildwing. Come on, let's get you into bed."

"Ok mommy," said Wing, as he hopped off the medical table and took her hand.

By now, Nosedive had fallen asleep in his mother's warm, loving arms.

"I guess we have two boys to put down, huh honey?" asked Mr. Flashblade.

"I guess so," she answered.

"Momma," asked Wing.

"What is it, Wildwing?" his mother returned.

"Can I sleep with Dive tonight? You know, just to make sure he's ok and everything."

"Of course you can."

"Thanks mommy. Don't worry Dive. I'm gonna' take real good care of you. I won't let anything or anybody hurt you from now on."


	11. I forgive you

Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Mighty Ducks, Disney does. Everybody knows that. I'm just borrowing them, ok? So don't go getting mad and trying to sue me, because you won't get much from me, I can tell you that right now. Be a big waste of time really. (Oh man, I sound like some telemarketing machine, don't I?)  
  
Author's Note: This is my first Mighty Ducks fanfiction, so please be gentle. But I DO want some kind of feedback, so send me some reviews. They are read and appreciated you know. Anyway, I hope you like my story...  
  
Chapter 11-"I forgive you."  
  
The Pond became quiet once more, as the last few words of Wildwing's story sunk in.

"I take it that you guys went home after that," Mallory said, finally breaking the silence.

"Well, we did end up spending a few more days in the hospital before they allowed us to go back home," said Wildwing, "The doctors wanted to make sure that Nosedive was really alive and was well enough to survive outside the intensive care unit. To this day, I still believe that it was a miracle that allowed my baby bro' to live that night. That's all it was. Apparently, someone had heard my prayer and gave Dive back to me. And I still thank however they were with all my heart."

"Well, I must say, that was one heck of a story, Wildwing," said Duke, "Hey, you could write a book with all the stories you seem to have of you and the kid."

"Ha, I don't think so, Duke. These are just things that happened to us. They don't really mean anything, right Dive? Dive?" Nosedive wasn't responding to his brother, which was beginning to leave Wing with a feeling of worry. "Are you ok?" he asked.

Nosedive had remained relatively silent throughout his older brother's story, listening to the words, yet hardly believing any of them.

"Nosedive, bro', are you ok?" asked Wing once more.

"I still can't believe it," Dive finally said. He wasn't making eye contact with anyone, but instead was staring at the wall as he spoke. "I've had so many near-death experiences in my life. But, I never knew that I nearly died, heck I was dead, when I was only a week old. It sounds so... unreal. 'Baby dead at one week old.' Sounds more like a newspaper heading rather than something that actually happened to me." He paused. His eyes rolled over the patterns on the wall, until they reached up and met his brother's. "Wildwing, why didn't you ever tell me any of this before?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, Dive, I didn't want to. I mean, mom and dad never did. So I figured, why should I if they never did? But in reality, I just didn't want to experience those feelings again. Those feelings of guilt and sadness, pain and fear, worry and unrest. I just wanted to leave them all behind so I'd never have to go through them again. But I was wrong. I'm sorry Dive. I should have told you what happened. I made yet anther big mistake. You know, sometimes I wonder if I really did learn my lesson that night. I don't know. I've tried to be the good big brother. I really have. At least, I hope I have. I'm sorry if I haven't. I'm really sorry Nosedive. For everything."

Wildwing could feel the tears welling up in his eyes. He had to lower his head so that no one could see that he was crying.

"Bro..."

The voice that spoke was so soft and low that Wing wasn't even sure if he had really heard it. But, just like before, his heart told him the opposite of what his ears did. 'And my heart was right last time, so I'm sure it is this time too,' Wing thought.

Slowly, he lifted his head and looked at the duck sitting next to him. Nosedive sat there, arm outstretched and hand extended, just like he had before when he was in the hatchery.

"Nosedive?" asked Wing.

"I forgive you, brother. I forgive you," was all he said.

And that was all he had to say for Wildwing to know that his baby brother truly meant it, as he reached his own hand out, until the two touched, leaving both siblings with the reassurance that everything really would be all right this time around.

THE END.

Author's Note: So, whatca think? Pretty good I hope. Let me know what all of you think, so I can get to work on my next big story, ok? :)


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